School uniform

Several hundred students in uniform during an assembly at Nan Hua High School in Singapore.

School uniforms are common in elementary and secondary schools in many nations. They are the most widely known form of student uniform, other types of which include uniforms worn by students participating in higher vocational training, such as in health related occupations.

Traditionally, school uniforms have been subdued and professional. Boys' uniforms often consist of dark pants and light-colored shirt, plus a jacket in cold weather. A girl's might consist of a skirt and blouse. The gender-specific uniforms have been a point of contention, and some schools permit female students to choose either skirt or trousers. The use of a blazer or suit-like jacket has come into favour in some areas.

In continental Europe, uniforms have not been required in public (state-sponsored) schools. Private schools, though, often have a school uniform or a strict dress code. This is different in the United Kingdom however, where the majority of state schools adopt a uniform, for a more formal look.

School dress codes vs. school uniforms

School dress codes generally dictate what can't be worn by any student, such as sheer or midriff-baring blouses, clothing with ads for beer and alcohol, or low-rider jeans. A school uniform policy generally dictates what must be worn by all students, such as solid color polo shirts in school colors in American public elementary schools with a uniform policy.

Use according to country

Two schoolgirls in Morelos, Mexico, drinking flavored drinks (agua fresca in Spanish).

Canada

Many regions of Canada have publicly-funded Catholic schools, and many of those schools have uniforms. In recent years, some schools have eliminated skirts and kilts, in favour of dress pants for girls, or replaced skirts with the x-kilt, a garment that looks like a kilt from the outside, but has an attached shorts on the inside for modesty. Also, bicycle shorts are sometimes worn under skirts. The tops are either dress shirts or golf shirts, and either sweaters or sweatshirts are worn. Grey or khaki dress pants are worn by both boys and girls.

Germany

Quite common in pre-WW II times, school uniforms fell almost totally out of favour as a long-term consequence of Nazism, as Germans, especially the school-dominating intellectual left, considered them a symbol of militaristic thought. In the 80s and 90s, school uniforms were almost totally unknown. Recently, they have made a comeback at some schools, for their supposed positive effect on discipline and also to prevent brand name competition among children. However, those school unfiorms that have been introduced would be considered marginal in most other countries, rarely consisting of more than a school shirt or sweater.

Japan

Japanese high school students wearing the sailor fuku

:''Main article Japanese school uniform

Malaysia

Malaysia introduced Western style school uniforms (pakaian seragam sekolah) in the late 19th century during British colonial era until post-independence. Today, school uniforms are almost universal in the public and private school systems. The current Malaysian school uniforms are compulisory for all students.

New Zealand

Traditionally, many New Zealand intermediate and high schools have followed the British system of school uniforms. This usually consists of a variety of the following apparel: an 'official' school jersey, jacket and tie, a grey/white shirt, pants and/or shorts, and, in many girls' schools, kilts.

Being allowed to wear long pants as part of the uniform, rather than shorts, often marks the division between being considered a 'junior' member of the school, to being a 'senior'. At some schools, seniors are allowed to disregard school uniform in favour of mufti ("civvies" or casual clothing). It is a strong tradition for many schools, especially boys schools to have long ("knee-high") socks worn with shorts as a sign of distinction.

Increasingly, the traditional uniform is being replaced by cheaper and more 'modern' options: polo shirts, polar fleece tops, or a complete doing away with uniforms in favour of mufti.

United Kingdom

Schoolgirls in Bhaktapur, India.

School uniforms are extremely common in schools and colleges in the United Kingdom. Virtually all public, state and secular schools have a uniform of some kind or have a strict dress code. Uniform is typically worn from year 1 (4-5 years old) through to year 11 (16 years old and the last year of compulsary education in the UK.) In many colleges the sixth form (16-18 year olds) are also required to wear a uniform or to comply to a dress code. This practise is more common for sixth form colleges which are attached directly to schools than for independent sixth form colleges.
* An example of a typical British secondary school uniform dress code is as follows:
** School blazer
** Plain white or blue shirt
** School tie
** Black or navy trousers or skirt
** Gray, white, dark blue or black socks
** Plain black shoes
** Black/Navy v-neck pullover, or black pullover with the school crest
** Outer clothing of a sober design
* The P.E. (Physical Education) kit often comprises of:
** School polo shirt
** Blue, Black, Red, Green or White Shorts
** TrainersIn addition to this many schools (both public and state funded) have moderately strict rules on the wearing of make up, jewellery or 'trendy' clothing. It should be noted that most schools in the United Kingdom do not suffer the fairly common 'clothing cliques' found in countries where uniforms are not so prevelant. However children with cheap or poorly kept school uniform often become excluded.

During the 1990s a trend toward sweatshirts and polo shirts with the school crest spread throughout schools in the UK, notably in Primary schools but, increasingly, in Secondary schools. This was seen as a way to modernise the uniform as well as make it more affordable to lower income families who couldn't afford blazers, etc. Equally temperatures in classrooms have changed over the last 50 years in the United Kingdom due to both environmental reasons and also the introduction of central heating systems. This has in most schools made older uniforms such as thick jumpers, blazers and shirts highly impractical, especially in the summer months, prompting many schools to adopt more casual temperate uniforms. In some cases schools are re-introducing the blazer and tie in a bid to 'smarten up' their pupils and combat bullying.

In many secondary schools, girls have started to wear trousers instead of skirts as part of their uniform, but this depends on the school and the area. Unlike in the United States there is no law forcing gender impartial uniforms. As a result especially in privately funded schools, many girls uniforms differs significantly from the boys uniform.

British night clubs often organise uniform theme parties where patrons are asked to wear adult versions of the uniform. This kind of use of children's clothing may be controversial in the context of a setting of heavy drinking and sexual behaviour. Angus Young from the Australian musical act AC/DC often wears his school uniform on stage.

United States

Most public schools in the United States do not require uniforms. Students can wear clothing of their choice within the limits of their school's dress code. Dress codes usually include limits on skirt length and skin exposure. They generally include prohibitions on clothing with tears or holes, exposure of undergarments, and anything that is obscene, gang-related, or unsafe. [1] Some school dress codes specify the types of tops (e.g. collared) and bottoms (e.g. khaki) that are allowed. In recent years there has been a signifficant increase in school uniforms (see below) for all levels of schooling. According to the National Association of Elementary School Principals (NAESP), the fraction of American public schools requiring school uniforms rose from three percent in 1997 to one in five (21%) in 2000.

School uniforms are fairly common for private schools in the United States, especially for Catholic schools. Although many private school uniforms are similar to the ones described below for public schools, a few still require more formal British-style school uniforms, such as blazers and ties. Culottes are also sometimes substituted for a skirt, especially at Episcopalian or non-parochial private schools.

In 1994, the Long Beach Unified School District, in Southern California, required school uniforms in all elementary and middle schools. This began a trend for uniforms in American elementary public schools, especially in urban school districts. President Clinton mentioned LBUSD's efforts in his 1996 State of the Union Address. The adoption of school or district-wide uniform policies (or, alternatively, "standardized dress codes" – which are not as rigid as school uniform requirements, but allow some leeway within set parameters) has been motivated by a need to counter "gang clothing" (or, in the alternative, the pressure for families to purchase upscale-label clothing to avoid their children being ignored by "fashion cliques"), as well as improve morale and school discipline.

School uniforms are fairly simple for U.S. public schools. Tops are usually solid-colored shirts or blouses with collars (often polo shirts) or turtlenecks in a choice of school colors. Pants are usually solid Khaki-colored (tan) or navy blue. Girls can usually wear solid-colored pants, shorts, jumpers, overalls, or skirts in a choice of school colors (or khaki for pants). Public school uniform policies do allow parents to opt-out of the uniform requirements for personal or religious reasons. The number of parents who choose to opt out is usually very low.Furthermore, pursuant to the bill passed in 1999, uniforms in the United States cannot be gender specific.

Efficiency

The efficiency of uniforms is often debated. A study published in The Journal of Education Research [2] by David L. Brunsma, of the University of Alabama, and Kerry A. Rockquemore, of the University of Notre Dame, found that student uniforms neither improved attendance and discipline nor decreased drug use. Uniforms did not significantly improve academic performance or students' attitudes toward school. Peer-group relations were not improved. The study also found that uniforms had a negative effect on student attitudes.